Judenplatz was the centre of Vienna's Jewish community in the medieval period until a pogrom and forced conversion campaign in 1421 destroyed the community and its synagogue — a history that remained largely unmarked for centuries until 20th-century excavation and memorial work brought it back into public view.
The Holocaust Memorial
British artist Rachel Whiteread's Holocaust Memorial, unveiled in 2000, dominates the square — a stark concrete block cast to resemble a library turned inside out, its shelves of unreadable book spines representing the community destroyed in the Holocaust. Inscribed around its base are the names of the concentration camps where Austrian Jews were killed.
The Museum Judenplatz and medieval synagogue
Beneath the square, the Museum Judenplatz displays the excavated foundations of the medieval synagogue destroyed in 1421, alongside exhibits on medieval Jewish life in Vienna — a smaller, quieter counterpart to the main Jewish Museum on nearby Dorotheergasse.
Local tip
Judenplatz is a genuinely peaceful square just a couple of minutes from Am Hof and the busier streets around Graben — a good stop if you want a quieter, more reflective moment inside an otherwise packed Old Town itinerary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Holocaust Memorial at Judenplatz?
A concrete monument by artist Rachel Whiteread, unveiled in 2000, shaped like an inside-out library to represent the Jewish community destroyed in the Holocaust.
What happened at Judenplatz in 1421?
It was the site of a pogrom and forced conversion campaign that destroyed Vienna's medieval Jewish community and its synagogue, whose foundations are now displayed in the underground Museum Judenplatz.